Mold



Feb. 9, 1943. P. M.- MUELLER 2,310,805

MOLD

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P. MQ MUELLER MOLD original Filed June 5, 1941 Feb. 9, 1943.

Feb. 9, 1943. P. M. Mul-:I malfzl MOLD Original Filed June 5, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb, 9, 1943. P. M. MUELLER MOLD 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Juxxe 5. 1941 EL. www@ mm,

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Feb. 9, 1943. P. M. MUELLER MOLD original Filed June 5, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 IIT/vena? PauZMMuWIUen M* #dwf ys 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Feb. 9, 1943. P. M. MUELLER MOLD Original- Filed June 5, 1941 Patented Feb. 9, 1943 MOLD Paul M. Mueller, Rome, N. Y., assignor to Revere Copper and Brass Incorporated, Rome, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Original application June 5, 1941, Serial No. 396,696. Divided and this application June 12, 1942, Serial No. 446,723

14 Claims.

My invention relates to molds, particularly but not exclusively to those for casting elongated slabs of metal such as copper which are afterward reduced to sheets by rolling, the present application being a division of my co-pending 'application Serial Number 396,696, led June 5, 1941.

The invention, which has among its objects the provision of an improved means for conducting the cooling medium in a split mold, will be best understood from the following description when read in the light of the accompanying drawings of several embodiments of the invention selected for illustrative purposes, the scope of the invention being more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a mold according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the mold according to Fig. 1 as viewed from the right;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the mold according to Fig. 1 as viewed from the left;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, the line --d also being placed on Fig. 5 for convenience in following the drawings;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, with parts omitted;

Fig. 5a is a fragmentary section on the line 5&-5 of Fig. 5, with parts omitted;

Fig. 5b is a section on the line 5b5b of Fig. 5, showing a detail;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2, with parts omitted;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6, with parts omitted, showing the upper portion of the mold;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6, with parts omitted and parts broken away, showing the lower portion of the mold;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2, with parts omitted; and

Figs. 10 and ll are, respectively, sections on the lines lll-l0 and of Fig. 9.

The mold illustrated in the drawings is a vertical mold which, Without limitation thereto, is particularly useful for casting slabs of copper and its alloys.

Referring to the drawings, the mold illustrated comprises a lixed mold part A and a complementary mold part B, the two being connected at one side for relative swinging about the axial line of the spaced vertically aligned pivot pins (Figs. 1 and 2) and being adapted to be releasably clamped together in a manner hereinafter explained.

As illustrated (see particularly Figs. 1, 2 and 5), the mold part A comprises a vertical, longitudinally extending, plate-like membe'r 3, hereinafter for convenience of terminology called a web. Integrally secured as, for example, by welding or casting, to each of the vertical edges of the web 3 is a vertical ange 5 projecting from opposite faces of the web so as to form a member which has approximately the shape of an I- beam in transverse cross-section. The web 3 and flanges 5 of the mold part A at their lower ends are shown integrally joined by welding or casting to a base I for supporting the mold and securing it to a suitable support.

The mold part B also comprises a vertical web 3, which in this case is integrally joined with edge anges 9 to give the part B a cross-sectional shape approximating that of a channel-iron.

As illustrated, detachably secured to the inner face of the web 3 of each mold part A and B ls a plate-like member dening a face of the mold chamber. The members are shown as secured to the webs 3 adjacent the edges of the latter by vertical rows of bolts I3, a horizontal row of bolts I5 at the top of the mold, and a horizontal row of bolts l1 at the bottom of the mold.

Opposite the plates each of the webs 3 adjacent its upper and lower end is provided with a transverse stiiening rib 2l (Figs. 1, 4 and 5), these ribs being integrally formed, by welding or otherwise, with the web 3 and edge flanges 5 or 9. As shown, the ribs 2| are in the form of channel-irons, the anges of which are integral with the web 3. At about the mid point of the length of each mold part A and B is a transverse partition rib 23 in the form of a Vplate integral with the web 3 and edge flanges 5 or 9, and extending between this rib 23 and the ribs 2| are vertical ribs 25 also in the form of channel-irons integrally joined to the web 3 and likewise to the rib 23 and ribs 2|. The interior spaces of the channels formed' by the ribs 2| and 25 are in communication, as clearly shown by Fig. 4, the

rib 23 serving as a partition to divide the channel formed by the upper rib 25 from the lower rib 25. At opposite sides of the partition rib 23 and extending between the ribs 25 and the edge flanges 5 or 9 are transverse ribs 21 also in the form of channel-irons and integrally joined with the 4ribs 25, the webs 3, and edge iianges 5 or 9. Each of. the ribs 21 at the right of the ribs 25, as viewed in Figs.`1 and 4, communicates with the adjacent rib 25. In a manner hereinafter explained, the lower ribs 21 at the right of the ribs 25, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 4, of each mold part communicate with a common inlet connection 29, carried by the mold part A, for water or other cooling medium, while the upper ribs 21 at the right of the ribs 25 communicate with a common outlet connection 3| carried by the mold part Interiorly of the cooling medium passages afforded by the channel-shaped ribs 2|, each web 3 is provided with perforations 33 (Fig. 4) which communicate with vertical longitudinal grooves 35 formed on the face of the web 3 adjacent the plate These grooves are closed by the plates and provide channels for the cooling medium. The water or other cooling medium from the inlet connection 29, as clearly indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4, enters the passages formed by the adjacent right hand rib 21 and flows downwardly through the communicating channel formed by the lower rib 25 and enters the channel formed by the lower rib 2|. From this latter channel it is distributed by the adjacent perforations 33 to the channels 35, and flowing upwardly through these channels discharges through the upper perforations 33 into the channel formed by the upper rib 2|, whence it ows downwardly through the upper rib 25 and from there through the communicating channel formed by the upper rib 21 at the right of this rib 25 to the outlet or discharge connection 3|. In this way the plates which preferably are formed of good conducting material such as copper, are effectively cooled. The approximate I-beam and channel-iron constructions of the body portions of the mold parts A and B in conjunction with their stiffening ribs form very rigid supports for the plates which latter are permitted to expand and contract by reason of the clearance in the bolt holes for the bolts securing the plates to the webs 3. yet without warping on account of the rigidity of the stiiened webs 3 against which the plates are tightly held by the clamping means hereinafter described.

In the construction illustrated bars 31 defining the sides of the mold chamber are detachably secured to the edge anges 5. As shown, these bars are provided with studs 39 (Figs. 1 and 5) projecting through perforations 4| in the adjacent edge flanges 5, and are rigidly clamped to the bars by nuts 43 carried by the studs. As illustrated in Fig. 5, a series of washers 45 of different thickness are placed between the nuts 43 and the adjacent side of each ange 5. One or more of these washers. or all of them, may be placed at the opposite side of the flange so as to lie between the flange and the adjacent bar 31, and by so positioning them the width of the mold chamber may be varied say, for example, bylmoving either or both bars 31 to their dotted line positions shown in Fig. 5. So that the washers 45 may be readily removed and replaced without the necessity of detaching the side bars from the edge anges 5, the washers are preferably formed with radial slots 45 of width the diameters of the studs 39, which slots open into the stud receiving bores of the washers to give the latter a U-shape as shown in Fig. 5b. This construction provides a rigid support for the side bars 31, the bars being permitted to expand and contract longitudinally by reason of the clearance between the stud bolts 39 and the walls of the perforations 4|, yet the bars are strongly held against the flanges 5 by the nuts 43 and are strongly clamped between the plates I| to prevent warping of the bars.

As shown. the side bars 31 are provided adjacent their surfaces denning the sides of the mold chamber with longitudinal bores 41 for the cooling medium, which construction acts to keep the bars cool and to prevent transfer of heat to the flanges 5 so that the latter will not tend to warp. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the upper and lower ends of the bores 41 are closed by plugs 49, and are provided with lateral bore's 5| communicating with short lengths of pipe 53. These pipes slidably extend through perforations 55 in the anges 5 so that the side bars may be adjusted by use of the washers 45 on the studs 33 in the manner hereinbefore explained, the upper perforations at least having considerable clearance with the pipes to permit the bars freely to expand and contract longitudinally. To the outer ends of the pipes 53 are secured short lengths of flexible hose 51 leading to pipe nipples 53 carried by the edge flanges 5. These nipples place the hose in communication with the channelsformed by the adjacent upper and lower channel-shaped ribs 2|, as shown in Fig. 6, so that the cooling medium from the inlet connection 23 may enter the lower ends of the bores 41 and flow upwardly and discharge from the upper ends of the bores and be carried off by the outlet connection 3| for the cooling medium.

As illustrated, the bottom of the mold chamber is defined by the upper surface of a bar 5| (Fig. 8) carried by the mold part A. 'Ihis bar, which preferably is of cast iron, is secured against the adjacent side of the plate of the mold part A by the bolts |1 which secure that plate to the adjacent web 3. The bar 5| is of such length as to extend under the opposite side bars 31, and is adapted to be strongly forced against the lower ends of the latter by screw jacks 53, which jacks are adjustably screwed into the base 1 of the mold part A and have lock nuts 54 to prevent them from accidentally backing oil'. The clearance about the bolt holes f or the bolts |1 permits suilicient movement of the bar 5| to permit it to be so forced by the jacks 53, and permits longitudinal expansion and contraction of the bar, yet the jacks 53 prevent warping of the bar, and, by forcing them against the lower ends of the side bars 31, insures against entrance of metal between the upper face of the bar 5| and the ends of the side bars.

The means for pivotally supporting the mold parts A and B is best shown by Figs. 1 to 5. As illustrated, to one of the flanges 5 of the mold part A are. rigidly secured spaced brackets 51 which carry the vertically positioned pivot pins hereinbefore referred to. These pins serve pivotally to secure links 59 to the ends of the brackets,`which links, as shown, are of rectangular cross-section (Fig. 4). Preferably the construction is such that no lateral lost motion exists in the hinged joints so formed, the pins making tightv joints with the perforations in the brackets and links which receive them. Rigidly secured to the ange 9 of the mold part B adjacent the links 69 are blocks 1| having perforations 13 through which the links slidably extend and in which they fit. At the outer ends of the links are pins 14 which pivotally secure thereto yoke bars 15 extending across the mold part B to the opposite side of the mold. To the edge flange 5 of the mold part A at that side are secured spaced brackets 11 to the outer ends of which at 19 are pivotally secured the ends of links 5|, the latter removably extending through the openings formed by the bifurcated adjacent ends 33 of the yoke bars 15 and adjustably carrying nuts 95 resting against the outer surfaces of the yoke Y" bars at those ends so that the yoke bars may be forcibly drawn toward the mold part A to clamp the mold part B between it and the yoke bars.

As shown, the mold part B is provided with a plate 81 beneath each yoke bar, the plate being notched to permit the ribs 25 ti pass through it and fitting the exterior of those ribs at the outer surface of the web 3 and adjacent parts of the edge flanges 9 and being welded thereto or being otherwise integrally formed with the body of the mold part B. As illustrated (see Fig. 5a), the intermediate portion of each yoke bar is channelshaped in cross-section, the adjacent plate 81 fitting within this channel and being pivoted to the yoke bar by a pin 89, the aligned holes 9| in the yoke bars for receiving the pins being elongated in the direction of the lengths of the yoke bars, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the mold part B may move longitudinally of those bars.

The combined structure for pivotally securing the mold part B to the mold part A and for clamping the two together permits the mold part B to adjust itself toward the mold part A and transversely thereof, while forcing the mold part B to swing around the aligned axes of the pivot pins I. This permits slight variations in the thickness of the side bars 31 and bottom bar 6| so that the thickness of the casting may be varied, and permits the surfaces of the plates defining the faces of the mold chamber to be nished from time to time and takes care of discrepancies in manufacture of the parts.

As illustrated (see Figs. 1, 3 and 4), the outer side of the edge flange 5 of the mold part A opposite the flange 5 thereof which carries the aligned pivot pins I carries a. bar which provides a lug 93 projecting toward the mold part B. The adjacent edge flange 9 of the mold part B carries a roller 95 adapted to ride on the upper surface of the lug 93. In this way the mold part B is brought into proper position in a, vertical direction with the mold part A to take care of wear and discrepancies in manufacture in the hinged support for the mold part B. 'Ihe lug 93, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, has a slight clearance with the adjacent web flange 5 of the mold part B, and this clearance and the sliding contact of the plate of the mold part B with the side bars 31 permit any slight transverse sliding of the mold part B relative to the mold part A necessary to bring the two properly together.

The connections for supplying and discharging the cooling medium are best illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 9, 10 and 11. As each is like the other, a description of the inlet connection will therefore suflice.

As shown, the edge ange 5 of the mold part A is provided with an opening 91 in communication with the passage afforded by the adjacent hollow rib 21. Detachabiy secured to the outer side of the edge iiange 5 by bolts or screws 98 is a hollow casting 99 having an opening |0| communicating with the opening 91. The inlet connection 29 is connected to a hollow boss |03 forming part of hollow rib 21 to the outlet connection 3| connected to the boss |03.

The casting 99 is further provided with a sleeve portion |01 projecting downwardly from the boss |03, and swivelled interiorly of this sleeve for rotation about an axis in alignment with the axes of the pivot pins l is a second sleeve |09. As shown, the sleeve |09 has a portion of reduced cross-section at its inner end to form a shoulder ||3 bearing against the bottom'of the socket aiforded by the sleeve |01. Carried by the outer end face of the sleeve |03 is detachably secured a ring member 5 engaging the outer face of the sleeve |09 for retaining the latter against longitudinal movement relative to the sleeve |01. In the space between the sleeve |01 and the reduced diameter Portion of the sleeve |09 is a compressible ring packing member ||1 of any suitable'construction, this packing beingl compressed against the wall ||9 of the casting 99 when the ring ||5 is drawn by the screws |2| against the sleeve |09 to force the latter inwardly against the packing.

Interiorly of the sleeve |09 is shown a metal bellows |23 having a neck portion |25 received in the bore of the reduced diameter portion of the sleeve |09 and welded thereto as at |21. 'Ihe lower end of the bellows is provided with a similar neck |25, which neck is received in an opening |29 in a second hollow casting |3|, this neck of the bellows being welded to the casting as shown at |33.

'Ihe casting |3| is detachably secured by bolts or screws |35 to the outer side of the web flange of the sleeve |09, into which passage the lowerA end of the bellows |23 opens. By so connecting the mold part B with the casting 99 the cooling medium from the inlet connection 29 can ow from the hollow boss |03 through the bellows and into the passage III in communication with the cooling medium distributing conduits of the mold part B, and can ow from those conduits in the opposite direction to the outlet connection 3|.

The bellows |23 in the above described construction is extensible and contractible longitudinally to permit the mold part B to move vertically relative to the mold part A, and is laterally yieldable to permit the mold part B to be positioned closer to or farther from the mold part A. The construction of the bellows however is such that it resists torsional strains, and causes the sleeve 09 freely to rotate on its bearings when the mold is opened and closed. It will be observed that the sleeves |01 and |09 house the bellows to prevent it from being injured accidentally, and that the casting |3| extends over the opening of this housing further to protect the bellows from injury.

It will be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, wide deviations may be made from the forms of the invention described without departing from its spirit.

I claim:

1. A mold having, in combination, a pair of mold parts connected for relative swinging and movement transverse to the axis of such swinging, one of which mold parts is provided with a pass'age for cooling medium, conduii'l means for conducting cooling medium supplied to said passage, which conduit means comprises a laterally bendable, torsion resisting, cooling medium conducting sleeve. the axis of which latter is approximately coaxial with the axis of relative swinging of said mold parts, said sleeve at one end thereof being operatively carried by one of said mold parts, and, at its opposite end, being operatively swiveled on the other of said parts for axial rotation relative thereto.

2. A mold having, in combination, a pair of mold parts connected for relative swinging and movement transverse to the axis of such swinging, one of which mold parts is provided with a passage for cooling medium, conduit means for conducting cooling medium supplied to said passage, which conduit means comprises a member operatively swiveled on one of said mold parts for rotation about an axis approximately coaxial with the axes of relative swinging of said parts, and a laterally bendable, torsion resisting, cooling medium conducting sleeve, the axis of which also is approximately coaxial with said axes of swinging for connecting said swiveled member to the other of said parts.

3. A mold according to claim l in which the cooling medium conducting sleeve is also longitudinally extensible and contractible.

4. A mold according to claim 2 in which the cooling medium conducting sleeve is also longitudinally extensible and contractible.

5. A mold according to claim 2 in which the swiveled member is a sleeve and the said cooling medium conducting sleeve is positioned within it so as to be housed thereby.

6. A mold according to claim 1 in which the cooling medium conducting sleeve isa longitudinally extensible and contractible bellows.

7. A mold according to claim 2 in which the cooling medium conducting sleeve is a longitudinally extensible and contractible bellows.

8. A mold according to claim 2 in which the swiveled member is an open ended sleeve swiveled within the recesses of a surrounding recessed member carried by one of the mold parts, which sleeve is restrained against substantial axial movement relative to said surrounding member, the cooling medium conducting sleeve being surrounded by the swiveled sleeve and connected at one end thereto, the other mold part carrying a cooling medium conducting member to which the other end of said cooling medium conducting sleeve is connected, the last named member extending over the adjacent open end of said swiveled sleeve.

9. A mold according to claim 2 in which the cooling medium conducting sleeve is a longitudinally extensible and `contractible bellows and the swiveled member is an open ended sleeve swiveled within the recesses of a surrounding recessed member carried by one of the mold parts,

which last mentioned sleeve is restrained against substantial axial movement relative to said surrounding member, the cooling medium conducting sleeve being surrounded by the swiveled sleeve and connected at one end thereto, the other mold part carrying a cooling medium conducting member to which the other end of said cooling medium conducting sleeve is connected, the last mentioned member extending over the adjacent open end of said swiveled sleeve.

10.'A mold having, in combination, a pair of mold parts connected for relative swinging and movement transverse to the axis of such swinging, one of which mold parts is provided with a passage for cooling medium, conduit means for conducting cooling medium supplied to said passage, which conduit means comprises a iluid conducting section carried by 'one of said mold parts having an opening facing in one direction of the axis of relative swinging of the mold parts, a uid conducting section carried by the other of said mold parts having an opening facing in the opposite direction to the opening of the other section in spaced relation therewith, and a flexible conduit placing said openings in uid communication.

11. A mold according to claim l0 in which one of the uid conducting sections carried by the mold parts has an open ended sleeve surrounding the ilexible conduit, which sleeve extends toward the other fluid conducting section and terminates in proximity thereto.

12. A mold according to claim l0 in which one of the fluid conducting sections carried by the mold parts has an open ended sleeve surrounding the flexible conduit, which sleeve extends toward the other uid conducting section and terminates in proximity thereto, the flexible conduit being fixed at one end to one of said sections, and, at its opposite end, being swiveled to the other section.

13. A mold according to claim 10 in which the flexible conduit is fixed at one end to one of the fluid conducting sections carried by the mold parts, and, at its opposite end, is swiveled to the other of said sections.

14. A mold according to claim 10 in which one of the iiuid conducting sections carried by the mold parts has a sleeve in communication with the opening of said section, which sleeve surrounds said ilexible conduit and extends toward the other fluid conducting section and terminates in proximity to the latter, an annular member rotatably carried by said sleeve interiorly thereof, said annular member interiorly thereof being in communication with said opening, the exible conduit being iixedly connected at one end thereof to said annular member, and, at its opposite end, being xedly connected to the other of said sections for conducting fluid from one of said sections to the other.

PAUL M. MUELLER. 

